SANATOGA PA – Lower Pottsgrove residents again this year will have an opportunity to rid themselves – for free – of old, outdated, unwanted, or no-longer-used prescription medications that pose both a hazard and a temptation for young family members, and which should not be simply discarded.
Lower Pottsgrove officers last September distributed literature as part of their drug take-back effort.
Township Police Chief Michael Shade, in a report made Monday (April 4, 2011) to the Board of Commissioners, said his department would again participate in the “National Take-Back Day” to collect prescription drugs, scheduled for April 30 (2011; Saturday) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police station, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA.
- This event has been added to The Post calendar.
More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to a 2009 federal study. Each day, about 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time, research conducted for the Partnership for a Drug Free America shows. Studies conclude that a portion of abused prescription drugs are obtained from home medicine cabinets.
That makes family prescription drug abuse a national, and local, problem.
National Take Back Day was created last year by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide a way to dispose of unwanted or unused medications. The effort, held in September 2010, was deemed a huge success. About 3,000 state and local law enforcement agencies, including Lower Pottsgrove’s, participated nationwide.
During the township event, officers characterized public response as “slow but steady.” Ultimately, Shade said then, the department was “very pleased” with the number of local people who stopped by to take advantage of disposal, and with its collection of several pounds of medications to be incinerated.
It’s hoping to surpass last fall’s totals in the coming collection.
All collection sites for National Take-Back Day can be used by any member of the public, no matter where they live. Also participating in the April 30 event are the:
- Douglass Township Police Department, at Giant Supermarket, 173 Holly Road, Gilbertsville PA;
- North Coventry Police Department, at Giant Supermarket, 86 Glocker Way, Pottstown PA;
- Amity Township Police Department, at its offices, 2004 Weavertown Rd., Douglassville PA;
- Lower Frederick Township Police Department, at its offices, 5 Spring Mount Rd., Zieglerville PA;
- Phoenixville Police Department at two locations, Giant Supermarket, 700 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA, and at borough hall, 140 Church St.;
- Upper Providence Police Department, at its offices, 1286 Black Rock Rd., Oaks PA; and
- Pennsylvania State Police, at its Skippack barracks, 2047-C Bridge Rd., Skippack PA.
Related:
- ‘Slow, Steady’ Participation In Township’s Drug Take-Back
- Local Prescription Drug Take-Back Operating Today
- Lower Pottsgrove Police Will Take Back Prescription Drugs
Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ April 4 meeting):
One Response to “Drug Take-Back Event Returns To Lower Pottsgrove”
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[...] Drug Take-Back Event Returns To Lower Pottsgrove The township Police Department, pleased with the response it received last fall, later this month will again participate in a national effort to collect unwanted or unused prescription drugs. [...]